Beach Blast Off 2008

Published Friday, December 28, 2007

Dec. 31: Activities begin at 3 p.m. and conclude with fireworks synchronized to music from the Decades, at 7:30 p.m. at St. Augustine Beach Pier and pavilion. This year's event features the Fire & Ice Chili Cook Off with 17 local restaurants participating and bringing twice as much chili as last year.

At 4 p.m., celebrity judges will start tasting. The results will be announced at 6 p.m. Commemorative T-shirts, in limited quantities, will be available for $10. Soda will be $2, beer $3, wine $4 and a four-ounce taste of chili will be $2.

Besides chili, there will be twice as many food vendors, children's activities, two beer tents, large screen TV's to watch football games and if you care to get wet, Splash Park will be open.

Watch as Chef Noel Ridsdale of the First Coast Technical College wields his chain saw and chisel to create a beautiful ice sculpture from a single block of ice. In partnership with Beach Blast 2008, First Coast Technical College will display more than 1,800 pounds of ice-art at the event. In addition, students have prepared a white bean and chicken chili, fish tacos, and a blackened fish sandwich for the community to sample. All proceeds will benefit Splash Park at the Pier.

Free buses and trolleys will be at three parking locations: Anastasia State Park, Anastasia Baptist Church, and the parking lot at Amici's at the corner of State Road 312 and A1A. For more information, call 829-5681.